Mechanisms for feeding and dropping elongated tubular bodies and caps

ABSTRACT

THE MECHANISMS HEREIN SHOWN FOR FEEDING AND DROPPING ELONGATED TUBULAR BODIES AND CAPS ARE INCORPORATED IN A ROTARY MACHINE, THE ROUND TABLE OF WHICH IS INDEXED FROM STATION TO STATION, RECEIVING AT ONE STATION A TUBULAR BODY OR HOLDER, AT ANOTHER STATION AN AMPUL, AT A THIRD A CYLINDRICAL SWAB, AND FINALLY A TUBULAR CAP OR COVER ISI APPLIED AT A SUBSEQUENT STATION, AFTER WHICH THE COMPLETED ARTICLE ISI DISCHARGED AT THE LAST STATION. ONE MECHANISM FEEDS THE TUBULAR BODIES OPEN END UP, AND IN THAT MECHANISM IF A BODY IS FED OPEN END DOWN IT TELECOPES ON A VERTICAL FINGER OF A MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE TURNED THROUGH 180* TO DROP THE TUBULAR BODY OPEN END UP. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF A TUBULAR BODY REACHES THE FINGER OPEN END UP THE FINGER MERELY STOPS ITS DOWNWARD TRAVEL UNTIL IT MOVES ASIDE AND THROUGH 180* IN WHICH MOVEMENT THE TUBULAR BODY PASSES THE FINGER AND DROPS SO AS TO BE FED OPEN END DOWN, AND IN THE CAP FEED CAPS MUST BE FED OPEN END DOWN, AND IN THE CAP FEED MECHANISM THERE IS A SIMILAR FINGER ON A PART ARRANGED TO SWING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH ONLY 90* SO THAT IF A CAP IS FED OPEN END DOWN IT FITS OVER THE FINGER IN THE FEED CHANNEL AND THE FINGER THEN TURNS TO AN OUT-OF-THE-WAY POSITION ALLOWING THE CAP TO DROP OPEN END DOWN, BUT IF A CAP REACHES THE FINGER OPEN END UP, THE FINGER STOPS IT AND A ROTARY DEVICE TURNING ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS ABOVE THE FINGER AND HAVING A DIAMMETRICALLY EXTENDING GUIDEWAY RECEIVES THE CAP AND TURNS THE SAME THROUGH 180*. TO DROP IT OPEN END DOWN WHILE THE FIGURE IS RETRACTED RELATIVE TO HE GUIDEWAY, THE ROTARY DEVICE BEING TURNED IN TIMED RELATION TO THE 90* SWINGING OF THE FINGER.

United. States Patent I [72] lnventors Carl F. Avery,Jr.;

Ernest A. Pearson; Lloyd V. Winters, Rockford, Ill. [211 App]. No. 808,540 [22] Filed Mar. 19. 1969 [45] Patented June 28, 1971 [73] Assignee Medical Supply Company Rock1ord,ll1. Division of-Ser. No. 599,841, Dec. 7, 1966, Pat. No. 3.461535.

[54] MECHANISMS FOR FEEDING AND DROPPING ELONGATED TUBULAR BODIES AND CAPS 8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs. [52] (1.8, CI. 221/171, 22l/l73,221/298 [51] Int. Cl B23q 7/12 [50] Field of Search 221/158, 171,173,298, 251

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 620,550 2/1899 Nash 221/298 635,588 10/1899 Pondorf 22l/l71X 1,903,269 3/1933 Ross et al.... 22l/l73X 2,577,203 12/1951 Mariotte 22l/298X 2,950,026 8/1960 Collazzo et al. 22l/298X mass-1,920

Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Attorney-Andrew F. Wintercom ABSTRACT: The mechanisms herein shown for feeding and dropping elongated tubular bodies and caps are incorporated in a rotary machine, the round table of which is indexed from station to station, receiving at one station a tubular body or holder, at another station an ampul, at a third a cylindrical swab, and finally a tubular cap or cover is applied at a subsequent station, after which the completed article is discharged at the last station. One mechanism feeds the tubular bodies open end up, and in that mechanism if a body is fed open end down it telescopes on a vertical finger of a member adapted to be turned through 180 to drop the tubular body open end up. On the other hand, if a tubular body reaches the finger open end up the finger merely stops its downward travel until it moves aside and through 180 in which movement the tubular body passes the finger and drops so as to be fed open end up. On the other hand, the caps must be fed open end down, and in the cap feed mechanism there is a similar finger on a part arranged to swing downwardly through only 90 so that if a cap is fed open end down it fits over the finger in the feed channel and the finger then turns to an out-of-the-way position allowing the cap to drop open end down, but if a cap reaches the finger open end up, the finger stops it and a rotary device turning on a horizontal axis above the finger and having a diammetrically extending guideway receives the cap and turns the same through 180 to drop it open end down while the figure is retracted relative to the guideway, therotary device being turned in timed relation to the 90 swinging of the finger.

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ERNEST A. PEARSON 231 LLOYD v. WINTERS I W 2 Attornev j MECHANISMS FOR FEEDING AND DROPPING ELONGATED TUBULAR BODIES AND CAPS This application is a division of our application Ser. No. 599,841 filed Dec. 7, 1966 now US. Pat. No. 3,461,535.

This invention relates to mechanisms for feeding and dropping elongated tubular bodies and caps, these mechanisms being herein illustrated and described as incorporated in a rotary machine for assembling articles and more particularly small generally cylindrical capped articles, such as medication applicator swabs having an elongated tubular body enclosing an inner frangible vial or ampul of medicament liquid for wetting the applicator swab inserted in the open end of the tubular body, the swab being covered by a protective cap telescoped on the body.

A general object of the invention is to provide mechanisms for the purpose stated which, as contrasted with the prior art, are more efficient and foolproof in the matter of feeding the tubular bodies always with the open end up and the tubular caps always with the open end down for assembly on the bodies, with a view to high speed production of applicator swabs or whatever the assembled bodies and caps are used for.

Another object is to provide mechanisms of the kind mentioned which when incorporated in a rotary assembling machine make for greater compactness so that less floor space is required, by arranging a succession of assembling stations about the circumference of a turntable that is arranged to be indexed step by step, the mechanismsat the various assembling stations all being operated by a simple mechanical actuator reciprocating vertically centrally relative to the turntable and in timed relationship to its step by step advancement.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a medication applicator swab, showing the four components thereof in somewhat disassembled relation, the vial or ampul containing the medication being visible through the transparent tubular container;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a rotary swab assembling machine incorporating the novel mechanisms for feeding and dropping the elongated tubular bodies and caps used in the applicator swabs like that shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the left-hand portion of the machine taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of that portion of FIG. 2 indicated by the line 4-4 ofthat FIG.;

FIGS. 5 to 7 are three related views pertinent to the'tube or body feed;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are related views .pertinent to the cap feed, and

H68. 10 throughl2 illustrate the cap-righting operation.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout these views.

The invention, for purposes of illustration, isshownin the drawings as embodied in a rotary machine for assembling small capped, generally cylindrical, articles, such-as medication applicators, having atrzinsparentplastic body or tube enclosing an easily frangible glass vial or ampul-.31 (FIG. 1) containing a liquid medication, this via] being disposed beneath an applicator swab 32 of an absorbent material. Each swab, which is of a generally cylindrical shape with a rounded dome on one end, is formed from a flat strippr tape of absorbent material carried on a reel, andwhen the swab is cupped and formedto cylindrical'shape and inserted in the plastic body or tube 30, the rounded dome end portion projects sufficiently for application therebyof the medication, and this projectingend.portionis-covered by a removable cap 34 that telescopes over the swab and tube. To apply the medication, the cap 34 is removed and the glass vial 31 is broken by applying finger pressure on the sidewalls of the tube 30 to break the vial or ampul, which then releases the medication to saturate the swab 32 for application toa-wound. All glass fragments of the vial or ampul are retained in the tube behind the swab. Herein the swab is disclosed as :held in place in the tube by adhesion thereto due to an acetate lining, indicated at 35 inside the tube, which is rendered tacky. as by application of a liquid,

such as acetone, to the swab 32 at the time of assembly of the article.

A large supply of empty bodies or tubes 30 is provided at the first station 37 (FIG. 2) in a hopper 38, and these tubes are fed through a suitable feed means and dropped individually into receptacles 29 on the rim of a table 40 that is adapted to be indexed to carry the tubes to and through subsequent stations until the applicator is completely assembled in one turn of the table in the clockwise indexing thereof, indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2.

Ampuls or vials 31 are fed one by one to the table 40 into the open ends of the tubes 30 at the ampul delivery station 41 from a supply hopper 42 through a suitable feed means indicated at -136.

At the next station 44, the swabs 32 are cut and formed and inserted, an absorbent material, such as cotton, in tape form being fed from a reel 45 and cut to rectangular form, and

cupped and formed into a cylindrical swab 32 with a rounded dome shape at one end and inserted into the open end of a tube 30 at this station, with the rounded dome portion projecting. Thereafter, the next station is the capping station 46, where caps 34 are delivered one by one from hopper 48 through feed means 230 and telescoped over the swab and upper end of the tube 30 to form a completed applicator. A solvent, such as acetone, is released in drops from a valve 49 to wet the swabs at an intermediate station 50 between the stations 44 and 46. The completely assembled applicators are later discharged from the table 40 at station 264 through a discharge chute 65 into a container 266, a gap being formed between spaced ends 268 and 269 of the surrounding ring 62 that encloses table 40, so that the tubes 30 are free to be moved generally radially from receptacles 39 in the table 40 into the chute 265 leading to the container 266. The tubes are forced off the table by the V-shaped inner end of a plate 270 that extends into the space between the discs 60 and 61 forming the table 40 to cam the tubes into the space between plate 270 and its companion plate 271 parallel to it and constituting the chute 265. At this discharge point the applicators pass a limit switch (not shown) to register each applicator on an electrically operated counter (not shown), so that the output of the machine can be accurately counted automatically.

To aid in a still better understanding of the operation, as the turntable 40 advances, one tube 30 is being deposited in a receptacle 39 at station 37 and one vial or ampul 31 is being inserted'into a tube 30 at the next station 41, while a swab 32 is being inserted into another tube at the swab-forming and inserting station-44, and a swab 32is being wetted with acetone in stillanother tube 30 at station 50-for cementing the swab to thetube lining 35, and stillanother tube 30 is receiving a cap 34 at station 46, while a finished applicator is being ejected intothe discharge chute 265 at'the discharge station 264, the operations describedall occurring simultaneously at the various stations mentioned as the table is indexed step by step in a clockwise direction. A central mechanical actuator bar 51, having a plurality ofradial arms 52, spaced angularly and vertically along the bar, serve to operate'the various-mechanisms at the various stations in the proper timed relationship, and is guided'for vertical reciprocatory movement. Suitable means are provided for reciprocating the actuator 51 in times relation to the indexing of the table40.

To hold and advance the tubes 30 through their respective stations, the tableAO-is provided .with a circular series of the receptacles 39 spaced evenly about its circumference. The table is formed by three coaxiallyspaced horizontal discs 59, 60 and .61 spaced verticallyv from one another and secured to the central hub 58. A stationary ring 62 closely encircles substantially the entire periphery of .the plates and is fastened by brackets 63 (FIG. 2) to extend upwardly from and adjacent to the periphery of the table 4.0. The receptacles 39 are formed by vertically'aligned and substantially semicircular notches in the upper and intermediate plates 59 and 60 with the notches opening intothe peripheral edge of the :discs. The ring 62 holds the tubes from moving radially outwardly from the notches while the bottom ends of the tubes rest on the outer unnotched edge portion of the lower plate 61, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The table 40 is Supported for indexing rotation by a bearing 64 (FIG. 3) mounted in a main horizontal frame plate 65 of the machine, and a driving shaft 66 for the table extends down through the bearing and plate and is fixed for rotation with a large main central driving gear 68. The latter has teeth meshed with a smaller pinion gear 69 fixed to a vertical shaft 70 extending througha bearing 71, a lower horizontal frame plate 72, and a bracket. 74, to a bevel gear 75. This bevel gear is meshed with and driven by a bevel gear 76 on a main drive shaft 78 supported for rotation about a. horizontal axis in spaced bearings in bearing retainers 79 and 80 fixed to a ve'rtical frame plate 81. The main driving shaft is connected at its right end (FIG. 3) through a coupling 82 to a sprocket 84 which, in turn, is driven by a belt (not shown) and motor (not shown). Herein, the main driving shaft 78 turns continuously to drive the pinion 69 and driving gear 68 to turn the table 40 at a predetermined rate of rotation.

In order to feed-a number of tubes 30 to the table at a relatively high rate of speed, a large number of tubes are disposed in the vibration-type automatic feed hopper 38, the operation of which is well known, and which, as seen in FIG. 2, causes the tubes to assume and move in an end-to-end relationship to a chute that is provided in the form of a flexible tube 85 (FIG. 2) curving downwardly toward a vertical housing 86 having means for gating and orienting or righting the tubes. The discharge end of the flexible tube 85 delivers the tubes, while disposed end-to-end in a column, to the upper end of a vertical inlet chute or passageway 88 (FIG. 6) in the housing. The latter is formed by a vertical groove in a vertical housing wall 89 which is covered by a flat faceplate 90 of transparent material connected by spaced hinges 92 (FIG. 8) to pivot flush against the housing wall and enclose one side of the groove 88. If a tube jams in the housing, the operator can observe the jammed condition through the transparent faceplate 90 and open it up after turning the head of latch 94 into aligned relation to a slot 95 in the faceplate.

To release the bodies one at a time and in timed relationship to the movement of the table 40, gate means in the form of a pivoted bellcrank 96 and horizontally disposed slidable pin 98 FIGS. 6 and '7) are'disposed in the upper part of the housing. A blocking finger 99 on the lower end of the bellcrank 96 is disposed to move sideways in a horizontal slot I from a nonblocking or release position rearward of the inlet chute to a blocking position in which the finger is disposed in the chute and supports the lower end of a tube 30. The bellcrank is pivoted on a horizontal pin 102 on.the housing for movement from the release position'shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6 to the blocking position shown in full lines in the same FIG. in which the finger has swung counterclockwise into the inlet chute. To

pivot the bellcrank 96 between its blocking and release positions, the latter is formed with an arm 104 having a horizontal offset 105 disposed above and in engagement with a collar 106 on a spring biased actuating rod 108. The latter extends vertically with its upper and lower ends projecting through and guided by vertically spaced bracket legs 109 and 110. An upper coiled compression spring 111 encircles the actuating rod with its upper end abutting the upper bracket leg 109 and its lower end seated on the bellcrank offset 105. The bellcrank finger 99 is biased to its release position by a coiled compression spring 112, which is stronger than the upper spring 111 encircling the actuating rod and disposed intermediate the collar and the'lower bracket leg 110. Simultaneously, with the clockwise movement of the finger 99 and release of the lowermost tube, inner end of the holding pin 98 moves into the chute 88 to engage under the tube immediately above the tube on the finger 99 for the purpose of holding the column of tubes against dropping through the inlet chute 98 with release of the lowermost tube. The pin 98 is horizontally disposed and guided at its outer end in a bracket I14 and at its inner end by the wall of the circular bore leading to the inlet chute. The pin 98 is biased inwardly to its holding position by a coiled compression spring 115 encircling the pin and seated at one end against a portion of the bracket and at the other end against a collar 116 fixed to the pin. To shift the pin 98 to its release position, an offset cam finger 118 on the upper end of the bellcrank 96 engages the inner side of the collar 116 and forces the same outwardly, or to theleft as viewed in FIG. 6, to compress its spring 115. When an'actuator plunger 119 depresses the rod 108 and compresses the spring 112, the bellcrank96 swings its finger 99 into theblocking position and simultaneously the upper offset 118 of the bellcrank engages the collar 116 on the pin 98 and forces the latter to withdraw from its holding position under a tube 30 in the chute 88 whereupon the lowermost tube drops onto thefinger 99. When the actuav.

tor moves upwardly, the stronger spring 112 compresses the spring 111 and pivots the bellcrank 96 clockwise (FIG. 6) to move the finger 99 to its release position and simultaneously move the pin 98 inwardly under the following tube.

The tubes 30 being released at the gate 99 are randomly oriented with either end up as they leave the upper inlet portion of the chute 88 in the housing. To properly orient all of the tubes 30 with their open ends up as they leave housing 86 through the bottom exit passage 121, means are provided for orienting tubes-comprising a finger I22 onto which telescope those tubes 30 having their open ends down as they leave the gate 99. The finger 122 is pointed vertically upward andin alignment with the entrance passageway 88 to receive in telescoped relationship a tube dropping downwardly from the gate 99. The finger is laterally offset from and connected at one end to a hub I24 fixedly mounted on a horizontal pin 125 on which is connected a gear 126 (FIG. 5) meshed with a vertically movable rack I28. The latter is formed on the lower end of a vertical bar 129 guided in a slot in the housing and fastened at its upper end to the lower leg 110 of the gate bracket which, as previously stated, is movable vertically by the plunger 119. The rack is effective to turn the finger 122 counterclockwise, as seen in FIG. 5, through approximately 180 to the position shown in FIG. 7 in which the finger is pointed downwardly and disposed in alignment with the exit passageway 121. On release of the plunger 119, the finger swings back in a clockwise direction to the position of FIG. 5 as limited by a-stop (not shown). The finger 122 is free to swing in an enlarged chamber 130 which is divided into two channels 131 and 132 by a triangular partition member 134.

Tubes 30 leaving the gate with their closed ends down, rest on top of the finger 122 until the latter swings out of the way, whereupon they drop down through the channel 132 directly into the exit passageway 121. Thus, the tubes 30 are always oriented with their open ends up as they are deposited into a receptacle 39 on the table'40. The tubes 30 are therefore in proper position to receive the vials or ampuls 31 at the next station 41 and later to receive the swabs 32 at station 44 and have these swabs wetted with acetone at station 50 to cement the same in place, as previously described.

With the swab 32 cemented in place, each tube 30 is ready to be capped by the protective cap 34 which fits over the upper end of the tube. In this instance, the caps 34 are fed from a vibratory feeder, having an open hopper 48, to and through a suitable chute in the form of a flexible tube 230 curved downwardly from the hopper to a gate and orienting means in a housing 231 (FIG. 8). The caps travel through the flexible tube 230 in end'toend relationship and are randomly oriented with either end down as the caps leave the tube 230 and enter the upper end of a passageway defined by a vertical groove 232, provided in the vertical housing 231 that is supported on and secured to the horizontal frame plate 65. A flat, transparent cover plate 23.4 is hinged on the housing and covers the groove 232 and therefore allows inspection of the passage of caps through the housing, with the same objectives in mind as was described regarding the tube'feed.

- To feed the caps 34 one by one from the vertical column extending upwardly through the tube 230, a gate. means 235 (FIGS. 8 and 9) generally similar to the gate-means for the tubes 30 is fixed to the upper end of the housing 231 and its operating elements are referred to by the same, but doubl'eprimed, reference characters. Thus, a bellcrank 96" (FIG. is pivoted on a horizontal pin I02" and has a blocking finger 99" disposed in a blocking position (FIG. 9) in the groove 232 upon downward movement-of the vertical rod 108 as the latter is depressed by the actuator plunger 238 (FIG. 8). An upper offset arm 118" (FIG. 9) on the bellcrank engages the collar 1 16" to force the holding pin 98" out of the groove 232 while compressing the spring 115" to release a cap to drop to the blocking finger. When plunger 238 is retracted, the bellcrank 96" turns in a clockwise direction under action of spring 112" and a cap is dropped and at the same time pin 98" moves into position to support the rest of the caps against downward movement.

In order to orient the caps with their open ends down, means are provided in the housing 231 in the form of a swinging arm 239 (FIG. 9) having a vertical finger 240 to receive in a telescoping relationship a cap 34 passing open end down through a slot 241 formed in a turntable disc 242. The arm 239 then swings through 90 along arc a-b to shed the cap 34 off the finger 240 and allow it to drop into place in table 254, g

the groove 232 keeping the cap in a vertical position as it comes off finger 240 and drops into the receptacle 255 in table 254 (FIG. 4). Caps coming down with their closed ends down, however, abut their closed ends on the upper end of the finger, as shown in FIG. 10, and then, after the disc 242 turns through 180', as seen in FIGS. 11 and 12, these caps drop directly from disc 242 into receptacles 255,- arm 239 and finger 240 swinging out of the way as the disc 242 turns. The disc is fitted in a circular seat in the housing and is journaled for turning on a horizontal pin 244, which is journaled for rotation in the housing 231. Fixed to the pin 244 is a gear 245 (FIG. 8) meshed with an idler gear 246 rotatably mounted on a horizontal shaft for meshing engagement with rack teeth on one side of a vertically reciprocable rack 248. The latter is fixed to the lower end of the vertical rod 108" for reciprocation in the movement of the actuator plunger 238. A coiled, compression spring 249 (FIG. 8) encircles a rod fixed to the lower end of the rack in coaxial relationship to rod 108" and returns the vertical rod 108" and rack 248 upon upward movement ofthe actuating plunger 238. To swing the arm 239 carrying the finger 240, the arm 239 is fixed to a rock shaft 250 journaled for rotation in the housing 231. A gear 251 is fixed to the rock shaft and is meshed with rack teeth 252 on the adjacent side of rack 248, so that in the vertical movement of the rack 248 the disc 242 is turned through 180 and the gear 251 turns the shaft 250 at the same time and swings the arm 239 through approximately 90 to shed a cap that might have come open end down onto finger 240.

The table 254, as seen in FIG. 4, is formed with a series of receptacles 255 about its outer rim and is journaled for indexing about a vertical axis on a shaft 256 extending downwardly through a vertical support base 258 fixed to the upper side of the main frame plate 65. A gear259 is fixed to the lower end of the vertical shaft 256 and is meshed with an idler gear carried on the support 260 and driven by the main drive gear 68. The caps in the indexing of table 254 in timed relation to table 40 are brought into position directly over the top of a tube 30 on the table 40 and are pressed onto an aligned tube by an actuator plunger 261 (FIG. 4)of the main actuator 51. The caps when inserted into holders 255 are releasably held on one side by a leaf spring (not shown)-until forced from a receptacle 255 through aperture 262 in the bottom wall of the table by the plunger 261 and pressed onto the upper ends of tubes 30.

In conclusion, the shaft 56 is.given reciprocation in timed relation to the indexing of the table 40 by means of a pitman rod 272 driven by a pin 273 eccentrically disposed on wheel 274 turning with gear 188. The tables 40, 196. and 254 are all turned together in the proper relationship by the gearing previously described, and are indexed by suitable Geneva gear means (not shown) between the upstrokes and downstrokes of actuator 51 with shaft 56.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of our invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

We claim:

1. A mechanism for positioning tubes having one end closed with their closed ends down comprising, the combination of, an inlet chute for conveying tubes downwardly, a finger mounted for turning from a first position for projecting into the open end of a tube moving downwardly thereto with its open end down to a second position in which the finger points down and releases the tube with its open end up, means to turn the finger and the telescoped tube from the first ppsition to the second position and then return; the finger to its first position to receive or block movement of another tube, and an outlet chute for receiving the tubes delivered with their closed ends down, said tubes in the inlet chute with their closed end down being blocked by the finger until it turns toward the second position, whereby the tube drops down past the turning finger to the outlet chute.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which a chamber is provided between the inlet and outlet chutes, and in which a divider in the chamber forms two channels each leading to the outlet chute, the tubes leaving theinlet chute with their closed ends down dropping through one channel and the other tubes with their open ends down being turned by said finger and dropping through the other channel to the outlet chute.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which a series of tubes are disposed end-to-end in said inlet chute and in which a gate means is operable to release the tubes one by one to drop to the finger.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which the inlet chute and the other channel are offset from the axis of rotation of the finger, and in which said finger is also offset from said axis and is vertically aligned with the inlet chute when the gate means releases a tube.

5. A mechanism for positioning tubes having one end closed with their closed ends up comprising the combination of an inlet chute for conveying tubes downwardly with either end up, a finger mounted for swinging from a first position in a vertical guideway communicating with said chute projecting vertically upwardly in the guideway into the open end of a tube moving downwardly thereto in the guideway with its open end down to a second or retracted position outside the guideway having shed the tube therefrom inthe guideway to drop open end down, the finger while in the guideway serving to block tubes moving downwardly thereto with the closed end down, a rotary device turning on a horizontal axis and disposed above said finger having a diametrically extending guideway which in a vertical position receives a tube when blocked by said finger and turns the same through to drop open end down through said guideway while said finger is retracted relative to said guideway, and means to turn said rotary device and swing said finger in timed relationship to one another.

6. The combination of claims in which a series of tubes are disposed end-to-end in the inlet chute angltin which a gate means is operable to release the tubes one by one to drop to the rotary device.

7. In a mechanism for feeding and dropping one by one elongated articles, the combination comprising a vibratory hopper having a chamber for holding a large number of said articles in random orientation. and a track for delivering a continuous stream of said articles disposed in end-to-end relation, a chute having an inlet end for receiving the articles from the track, said chute being curved downwardly to deliver the articles resting in end-to-end relationship within the chute at an outlet end, a housing having a substantially vertically disposed channel connected to the outlet end of the chute to receive the articles. gate means to permit only the lowermost one of the articles to drop through said channel, one by one, the articles having an opening at one end, a rotary member disposed below said channel having a pin projection adapted to enter the openings in said elongated articles when fed through said channel open end down but merely block further velongated articles, the combination comprising a vibratory hopper havinga chamber for holding a large number of said articles in random orientation, and a track for delivering a continuous stream of said articles disposed in end-to-end relation, a chute having an inlet end for receiving the articles from the track, said jchute being curved downwardly to deliver the articles resting in end-to-end relationship within the chute at an outlet end, a housing having a substantially vertically disposed channel connected to the outlet end of the chute to receive the articles, gate means to permit only the lowermost one of the articlesto drop through said channel, one by one, the articles having an opening atone end, a rotary member disposed below said channel having a pin projection adapted to enter the openings in said articles when fed through said channel open end down but merely block further downward movement of said articles that are fed through ,sgid channel closed end down, said pin projection when entered in the open end of an article turning through substantially'90 to release position to drop the article open end down} a rotary device in said channel above said pin projection hav a diametrically extending guideway therethrough which in one position is aligned with said channel to receive an artiele only when fed closed end down so as to be blockedby pin projection, and means turning said rotary device through eubstantially in timed relation to the turning of said rotary member so as drop the article past said rotary member open end down. 

